The Democratic Senate leadership today sent a letter to President Bush urging that he vow not to pardon I. Lewis (Scooter) Libby, if he is convicted in the CIA leak case.
Below are excerpts from the text of the letter:
Dear Mr. President:
The indictment of I. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff, marks the first time in 131 years that a senior White House official has been charged with a crime while still serving in the White House. The charges, while not yet proven, are extraordinarily serious and deeply disturbing.
Although it is too early to judge Mr. Libby guilty or innocent of these particular charges, it is not too early for you to reassure the American people that you understand the enormous gravity of the allegations. To this end, we urge you to pledge that if Mr. Libby or anyone else is found guilty of a crime in connection with Patrick Fitzgerald's investigation, you will not exercise your authority to issue a Presidential pardon.
The letter was signed by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, and other ranking Democrats in the Senate.
What I love about this is actually close to what I love about Cindy Sheehan. The point about Sheehan is not that I or anyone really thinks Bush was or is ever going to give her a satisfactory answer to her question. The point is that she drew the attention of the country to the fact that he can't.
Here, I doubt Reid or the other ranking Democrats expect Bush to make such a pledge. But the point is, they're publicizing the fact that he won't. And they're putting him on notice that if he pardons Libby or anyone else, they have a dandy talking point for the '06 and/or '08 elections.
Man. That makes two Tuesdays in a row that Harry Reid has made me feel, kind of, well, proud to be a Democrat. Can he keep it up?
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